Swing-out-of-the-way-type wall bracket



June 13, 1944. R. E. McLEAN SWING OT OF THE WAY TYPE WALL BBCKETS FiledApril 26, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 K .lHiliw 1 M? @Wm v ./4 wilallllns 4 @u/70Ze/Z5 McLean June 13, 1944. R. E. MQLEAN SWING (DUT 0F THE WAY TYPEWALL BRACKETS Filed April 26, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 13,1944 UNITED sTATEs APATENT OFFICE SWING-OUT-OF-THE-WAY-TYPE WALL iBRACKET Robert E. McLean, Fort Benning, Ga.

Application April 26, 1943, Serial No. 484,626

9Claims.

Ihis invention relates generally to the class of supports and pertainsparticularly to inprove'- ments in wall attached brackets for thesupport of household utility devices such as rotary can openers, fruitJuice extractors and the like.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedbracket for attachment to a wall. or other suitable vertical supportingsurfaces, designed to support a rotary can opener, such, for example asthose disclosed in my prior Patents No. 2,287,442, and No. 2,294,507 orany other wall attached kitchen implement, which will be maintainedfirmly in working position, but which may be easily and quickly swunginto a position in close proximity to the wall when not in use.

Another object is to provide a supporting bracket of the characterstated having an arm pivotally attached to be swung on a vertical axis,from a position perpendicular to the adjacent wall to an inoperativeposition substantially parallel with such wall, and in which the arm isso held at its pivoted end that no amount of lateral or .vertical thruston the arm, will dislodge the arm and allow it to be swung on its pivot,without the proper manipulation of the necessary shiftable holding orsecuring means for the arm.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a swingable bracketin which the'means for securing the arm thereof is vertically shiftablewith a portion movable relative to a horizontal edge of the arm forengagement therewith and disengagement therefrom, the said portion beingmanually moved in one direction through the medium of a pintle pin,about the axis of which the arm swings. l

Still another object is to provide, in a device of the type above setforth, a novel means by which the swingable arm, carrying the can openeror other utility implement, when swung to an outoi'theway position, ornon-working position, is maintained in such position by a cam bearing,such cam bearing reversely functioning, when the ,farm is swung back toan operative or working position, to axially move the pintle, against aspring tension, into a position to facilitate locking the arm in thelast mentioned position.

Other objects and advantages oi' the invention will readily becomeapparent as/ the description proceeds, such description, taken with theaccompanying drawings, presenting/desirable workable embodiments of theinvention; it being understood, however, that various changes andmodifications may be made so long as such changes and modifications makeno material departure from the salient features of the invention, asexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure l is a view partly in side elevation and` partlyin vertical section, .oi a bracket constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view looking toward the wall attached portion of thedevice, the bracket arm bcing in transverse section.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a. view looking toward the wall attached portion of anotherembodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line o! Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view in top plan of the inner end or wall attached portionof the structure of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of the wall plate per se, of thestructure of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a view in front elevation 01' 'the hinge plate for thestructure 0f Figure 5.

Referring now more particularly to the several ilgures of the drawingslthere is shown in Figure 1 an arm I0, to the outer end of which may beattached, in any suitable manner, a rotary can opener, generallydesignated Il, which may represent any one of the several typesillustrated and described in my prior patents, previously referred to.No detailed description is here believed to be necessary since thedevice carried by the arm is immaterial insofar as the invention of thepresent application is concerned and an illustration and description ofthe form of opener will be found in one of my prior patents referred to.The arm may also be employed to support a rotary fruit Juice extractoror other kitchen implement. n

The bottom edge of the arm IG, may be formed to provide a bottle capremover I2, as shown, if desired.

The inner end of the arm is secured to a wall or other vertical supportby either of the two novel means shown. For the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive,

there is provided a plate I3, which may be deilned as the hinge plate.This plate, in the instant embodiment, is secured directly to the wall,or other support. by screws i4 or other suitable means. At the top andbottom edges of the hinge plate are the integral, forwardly extendingupper -and lower tongues I5, and I 6, respectively. The

lower tongue i6 is cut from the plate to be bent therefrom above thebottom edge of the plate. thereby leaving or providing the two spaced,depending ears I1.

Mounted between the tongues Il and i3, is a tubular bearing post Il, theends of which extend into and are fixed in openings in the tongues asbest illustrated in Figure 4.

Encircling the bearing post il to turn freely thereon, and extending thefull distance between the opposed faces of the tongues i5 and Il, is ahinge collar i3, which, as shown in Figure 2, may constitute an integralcontinuation of the arm I0, or it may be separate therefrom but attachedthereto in a suitable manner. On the integral continuation shown, thereis formed a terminal flange 28, which is secured against a side of thearm by rivets 2|, or-welded thereto if desired.

With the construction thus far described it -will be seen that the armmay be swung freely around the bearing sleeve as a center, but such freeswinging, without means of restraint, would be undesirable since thesatisfactory use of the can opener or other device would not bepossible. The following described novel means is therefore provided forreleasably securing the arm in operative and inoperative, orswung-out-of-the-way. D081- tion.

Extending through the tubular bearing post Il,

for a'xial movement therein, is a pintlefpin 22.

This pin extends at all times beyond the upper and lower ends of thebearing post.

The upper end of the pin 22, enters a hollow cap 23, and is secured inthe top of the cap as indicated at 24.

Encircling the upper end of the pin 22 and extending into the pin cap23, is a compression spring 25, one end of which bears against theunderside of the top of the cap while the lower end bears against thetop end of the bearing post i8. Thus this spring constantly exerts an upthrust on the pintle pin to move it up through the bearing post as faras it is permitted to go by the lock plate about to be described.

The lock plate is indicated generally by the reference numeral 28. 'Ihisplate is disposed below the lower tongue i6 as best shown in Figure 1,and has a width equalling that of the hinge plate and a forwardsemi-circular edge outlined by an upstanding rim 21. This rim 21, has anotch 23, cut therein midway between its ends to receive the lower edgeof the arm III and by this means the arm is firmly held against swingingand also is held perpendicular to the face of the hinge plate, andconsequently to the wall also. From each side of the notch 2l to theadjacent end of the rim, the top edge of the rim slopes downwardly, asbest seen in Figure 3, to form the two camming surfaces 23, which rideagainst the bottom edge of the arm I0.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing that in order to release thearm l 0 for swinging around out-of-the-way, or to a positionsubstantially parallel to the adjacent wall, it is necessary to pressdown on the cap 23. This will shift the pin 22, downward and lower thelock plate sumciently for the arm to clear the notch 28. The arm maythen be swung around, and, if the pin is released, it will ride on theunderlying cam 29 and the plate and pin will move up under the urge ofthe tensioned spring. Due to the camming action of the edge 23, againstthe lower edge of the arm it will be seen that the arm will be held fromswinging back unless force is used to swing it out. If this is done thearm as it rides against the l arms 38, will return to gradually risingcam edge 29, will force the lock plate and pintle down against thetension of the spring 2l, until the notch is reached, whereupon theplate will be pulled up, to secure the arm in the notch.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive,includes a novel means for detachably mounting the bracket on the wallor other suitable support. In this construction those parts which areidentical in construction with, or similar to, corresponding parts inthe first described embodiment of the invention, will be identified bythe same reference characters primed.

It will be seen that the bracket arm Il' has at its inner end the hingecollar i3' which encircles the bearing post I8.

'Ihe hinge plate I3 has the top and bottom tongues il and I8' but theears I1 at the bottom are longer than the ears I1 and each terminates inthe forwardly extending foot I1.

'Ihe hinge plate is secured, in set-up position, by the mounting plate30 which plate is secured, by screws 3i, or other suitable means, to thesupporting wall. This plate has a back part 32, which between its topand bottom edges has a forwardly projecting portion 33, against the faceof which the hinge plate bears, when mounted on the plate 30. Theportion 33, has an opening 34, from the top edge of which extendsdownwardly and forwardly, the spring or yieldable, tongue 35, which isflexed back by the hinge plate i3 as shown in Figure 6, and functions tohold the latter in position, as hereinafter described.

Extending forwardly from the top edge of the mounting plate 30 are thetwo resilient fingers 36, which are designed to extend across the topedge of the hinge plate I3', on either side of the tongue l5', and eachfinger 36 terminates in a downturned flange 31, which forms a hook toengage the plate I3 as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Extending forwardly from the bottom of the bracket plate are tworesilient arms 38, similar to but longer than the fingers 36, which areconnected at their outer ends by the cross piece 38. At the outer end ofeach arm 38, is an upturned flange or hook 40, and between these hooks40, there is attached to the cross piece the finger grip Il, by means ofwhich the arms 38, are flexed to facilitate placing in position andremoving the hinge plate I3'.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing that when the hinge plate ismounted the hooks 31 will catch over the top edge thereof while theforwardly extending feet I1n will rest upon the arms 38 and will beengaged, at their forward ends, behind the hooks 40 of the arms. Theback oi' the hinge plate will be engaged by the spring tongue, whichtends to urge the hinge plate forward to establish the desired tightengagement of the same with the hooks 31 and 40. It is necessary, inplacing the hinge plate in position to first engage the top edge behindthe top hooks 31, and then, by grasping the finger grip 4I and bearingdown and back thereon, flexing the arms 38 until the hooks 40, arelowered sufficiently to swing the bottom edge of the hinge plate in overthem, whereupon, upon the release of the part Il, the position to engagethe hooks 4U across the front ends of the arms l1, as shown in Figure 6.

To release and remove the hinge plate, and the entire bracket unit, thereverse of the just described procedure is followed.

From the foregoing many advantages are ac complished in the presentinvention, as will, it is believed, be readily apparent, as, forexample:

The device. is substantial, durable, and exceptionally rigid. Bearingsurfaces are unusuall large in proportion to size of device.

The device is exceptionally safe. Extension arm bearing can opener orother device can not escape from said wall bracket; said extension armis positively maintained in desired position, and there can be novertical movement. No amount of force or thrust exerted on extension armbearing can opener or other deviceregardless of kind of thrustcan effectany movement of said extension arm in said bracket, nor can it have anyeffect upon the position of the cam plate, the notch of which straddlessaid extension arm.

The device is compact and simple and easy to operate. Merely depressingthe cap atop the vertical vpin through the device disengages the camplate from the extension arm bearing the can opener or other device. Assoon as said extension arm is swung clear of the notch in said camplate, said extension arm may be swung without depressing said cap atopvertical pin through the device. To again engage said extension arm inthe notch of said cam plate, it is only necessary to merely swing saidextension arm to position and the spring atop the device pulls cam plateastraddle said extension arm. The cams on cam plate maintain theextension arm against or near the wall, once said extension armhas beenswung to that position-either to the right or to the left.

The device can be produced at a very reasonable cost.

As previously stated the second embodiment is the same as the firstembodiment. except that provision is made for removing, by manipulationand without tools, the entire device (except a portion which is securelyfixed tothe wall or other upright surface by screws or similar methodand extends perpendicularly therefrom approximately one-half orthree-quarters of an inch). This second embodiment has all the featuresand properties of the first embodiment.

The design of the bracket that is secured to the wall or other uprightsurface is such that the device, when inserted or installed therein, issecurely and rigidly held at four rectangularly related points, and thedevice can have no lateral, vertical, rotatable, or other movement inthe said wall bracket until manually and purposely released therefrom bythe operator.

The fulcrum of the wall bracket, supplemented if desired by the raisedtensioned portion illustrated in the fulcrum portion of the bracket,provides for engaging the device in the said wall bracket undersufficient tension to maintain the device and the said wall bracket as asingle unit at al1 times while so installed and until released therefromat the will of the operator. The said wall bracket would either bemanufactured of material possessing the required amount of resiliency topermit the outer ends of the two lower perpendicularly extending fingersto be forced downwardly, when the depending tongue is depressed towardthe wall or other upright surface by the operator, sufficiently to clearthe two cooperating perpendicularly extending fingers of the device inorder that the device may be removed from the said wall bracket bylifting upwardly on the extension arm of the device, or the said wallbracket could be terminated at its lowest point of contact with the wallor other upright surface and a part similar in construction to theremaining lower portion of the illustrated said wall bracket andpossessing the required amount of resiliency could be extended upwardlyon the said altered wall bracket to a point immediately above the headsof the lower attaching screws and securely fastened to the said alteredwall bracket and the wall or other upright surface by the lowerattaching screws. To reinstall the device in the said wall bracket, theupper portion of the device is placed under the two upperperpendicularly extending hooks of the said -wall bracket, the said twoupper hooks straddling the perpendicularly extending upper ear ofthedevice, and the extension arm of the device is then forced downwardlyuntil the device is in illustrated position. This movement forces theouter ends of the two lower perpendicularly extending fingers of thesaid wall bracket downwardly until the device is in illustratedposition, at which time the tension of the two said fingers urge themupwardly until inthe illustrated position, in which position `,theysecurely and rigidly hold the device until released at the will of theoperator.

what is claimed is:

1. A swingable bracket, comprising an arm, a plate adapted to be securedvertically to a supporting body, .a hinge coupling between an end of thearm and the plate facilitating swinging the arm on a vertical axis, apin supported for longitudinal movement on a path paralleling thepivotal axis of the hinge, a plate attached to the pin and disposedacross the arm to be moved relative to the arm by the pin, locking meanscarried by the second mentioned plate for partially receiving andholding the arm when the arm is swung to one position, and means urgingthe second mentioned plate toward the arm for engagement of the arm inthe loc means.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1, including a camming meansforming a part of the locking means and engaged by the arm when the armis out of the receiving means therefor, for effecting shifting of theplate and the locking means in one direction against the urging meanswhen the arm is swung.

3. A swingable bracket. comprisingl a plate for attachment to a support,a pair of vertically spaced ears carried by the plate, a tubulai hingepost secured between the ears, an article supporting arm having one endjoined to said post for turning thereabout, a pin extending through andslidable in said post, a locking plate carried by the pin at one end anddisposed across the arm for movement relative to the arm, the platehaving means for receiving the arm when the arm is swung to one positionto hold the arm against swinging. and means for urging movement of thepin and lock plate in a direction to maintain engagement of the lockplate with the arm.

t. A structure as set forth in claim 3, in which the said locking platestructure includes an arcuate cam upstanding on the locking plate uponeach side of the arm receiving means and concentric with said hingesleeve. said arm riding on one cam when swung towand the receiving meansreceive and hold .thearmin the notch thereof,y and spring means coupled`-withthepinfor constantly urging .the movement f ot the pin inv adirection the notched plate in contact with'the arm.

6. A -swinzable bracket, comprising a hinge plate `adapted tobe mountedupon a suitableau'pportinggbody, la hinge post carried by the plate, an

:arm `having one -end ycouizoled with said poet for swinging movementabout the post al .an axis, a f pin l, supported vby vthe vpoat formovementlongitudinally thereoha'plate carried by the pin and disposedacross tbe yarm, means carried by the Dostto receive and hold therarminta prescribed position, .and'means constantly urging movement oi' thekpin land the plate in a direction to dispose `the plate withvthievarm-elulailcd in said means.

7. In an article supporting. swingablebracket, a mounting plateadapted-.to be secured to a nui-A port, two parallel lentre integralwith and perpendicula-rfto the mounting plate, an arm having sin endsnuzly positioned between laid ears, a

cylindrical pivot post secured at its ends between said ears and havingthe said Vemi of the arm connected therewith for swinginl movementasomar tween the upper endoi'the pin and the upper endo!thecylindricalpoet andnonnaily unina movement o! the pin and the ,mecarrying means upwardly.

8. An article suppo y claim 'I in which aaid'lllnle sloped downwardlyfrom leach to iorm a cam against which;y

swung about the post.

9. An article supporting-bracket as lset-,forth in claim 7 with va capvmounted uponfand enclosing .a portionfot the upper end ot aaidpinandhaving the upper end of the spring extended thereinto.

`ROBERT E. MCLEAN.

